Starless
by Sebe
Summary: Post 6x11. Sam's back and working with Dean again, but he knows there's something his brother's keeping from him about his return. He talks about it with Castiel.


Author's Notes: Some slight spoilers for recent 6x12 early reviews and promos. Just the part about Sam being pissed at Dean, but more than happy to help Sam. I think that's majorly cute. Am I the only one?

Summary: Post 6x11. Sam's back and working with Dean again, but he knows there's something his brother's keeping from him about his return. He talks about it with Castiel.

**Starless**

Sam didn't turn his head, somehow just knowing the other was there, lurking just outside his peripheral vision. With a sigh, Sam picked up another beer bottle and held it out to his left side.

It was taken by another hand as the man stepped forward so that Sam could see him.

"You were able to tell I was here." Cas's voice was both impressed and cautious. Sam shrugged.

"I just guessed. Maybe you're not as quiet as you think you are." Sam knocked back his beer, noting that Cas had taken the top off his, throwing it in the direction and manner Sam and Dean both threw their own. Even if he didn't want one, Cas would always take an offered beer from the brothers. Sam imagined it was an easy way the angel saw to bond with them and mimic more human behavior.

"You did really well on this one." Sam told him, smirking. "No fires or unnecessary smiting."

"…Thank you." Cas sounded hesitant, but Sam made note that he ducked his head a bit, embarrassed by the praise maybe. The hunter sighed. What was unspoken till now remained heavy in the air and Sam decided to skip the preliminaries.

He needed to know.

"What's going to happen now?" Sam turned to look at Castiel who was doing his best to avoid Sam's eyes, something he's never done before. "Cas, I know Dean did something. If I need to be watching over my shoulder for hellhounds to come drag him off again-"

"No." Castiel cut in at the first mention of the hounds, knowing Dean's old fear of them as well as Sam's newfound one. A fear they didn't know the origin of. The angel sighed heavily and Sam was surprised that he seemed to slump a bit. "There will be no hounds and your brother didn't make a deal. He tried, but it didn't…work out."

Cas did take a swig of his beer then, apparently feeling the need to take the edge off at the mention of the older Winchester. Dean and Cas had been on bad terms lately, but Sam didn't know any details. Just that it had something to do with his soul being brought back. They largely ignored each other unless it was necessary and any request for help had to come from Sam or Cas wouldn't hear it.

That was another thing that had done a 180 in the blank spots of his memory. Cas was angry at Dean in a way that Sam couldn't recall seeing in the angel, but he fell all about himself trying to help Sam. It put the hunter on edge. Sam had never been as close with Castiel as his brother, but now it seemed he almost had a personal angel attendant. It may have been nice, if a little strange, if not for Castiel's eyes. The guilt and grief in them…for a reason he couldn't name, it terrified Sam.

"Then what?" Sam shrugged helplessly. "What did he do, Cas? People don't just come back from the dead on their own. I've gotta know what's coming for him. What I need to look out for. If I'm gonna protect him-"

"He is not the one who needs protecting." The harsh gravel of the angel's voice surprised Sam. Cas was gripping the bottle so tight Sam was afraid it would shatter. Seeming to realize how closely Sam was watching him, Cas shook his head, pointedly gazing away from Sam again. "…You should ask him."

"You know I have. He won't tell me anything. Cas…I need to know what happened to me, what's going to happen." Sam tried to get in Castiel's line of vision. Pinning the angel with his eyes, he asked again, "What's going to happen to me?"

Castiel found himself unable to lie to Sam like he once had when this close. Cautiously, he ventured out.

"…Perhaps nothing."

Sam looked frustrated. He broke eye contact, leaning back and sighing heavily. After a moment, Sam collapsed back bonelessly against the hood of the car he had been leaning on.

Castiel's beer was on the ground in a second as he turned to Sam frantically, eyes gone wide and hands searching for injury.

"Sam!"

Opening his eyes and smiling shortly at the frazzled angel, Sam looked apologetic.

Cas weighed the pros and cons of killing Sam Winchester himself. The hunter sat up slowly, hands held up in front of him in a placating gesture.

"See? You're worried about me." Sam ventured when some of the storm in Castiel's eyes had waned. "Dean is too and I need to know why. What am I supposed to be expecting and when?"

Still slightly ruffled, Cas calmed on hearing the human's words. Sam was scared. For himself. For his brother. For not knowing which one to be more afraid for. Regretfully, Cas knew he could do nothing to ease that fear, not really. Dean had been right about one thing; it was a catch 22. Tell Sam about the wall and have him scratch at a spot he knows or don't tell him and leave that nagging feeling of the forgotten in the back of Sam's mind, leave him searching and clawing.

There was no good answer. And Dean had done this. Against every warning and wish, he had still done this. Still nestled in his anger at the older brother, Castiel was, for once, easily able to leave the tough questions to Dean.

Cas placed his hands on Sam's shoulders, startling the other and assuring him he had his direct attention. Looking into Sam's eyes, Castiel shivered. He could just see the hellfire behind the hazel. His voice was soft, but stern when he spoke.

"You need to ask Dean, Sam. He's the only one who can explain it to you fully. But if he doesn't…if he won't-" Cas's brow furrowed in worry and a sudden desperation to express the dire situation to Sam. "If he won't tell you now, don't push. He will tell you because he will have to, but don't…don't pick."

It was the closest he could get to saying what he wanted. Cas cut off any protests Sam might have had.

"Please, Sam. Wait for Dean to tell you."

And that would be that. Castiel didn't ask, didn't say please. Blinking a few times, Sam slowly nodded. Cas nodded in return and released the hunter. Cas bent down to retrieve the fallen beer bottle, but Sam stopped him, handed him a fresh one.

Smiling despite himself, Castiel twisted the cap off and took a long drink of it. He made himself catalogue every minute he could of this space in time, knowing it could very well be gone soon, no matter what Dean decided to tell Sam.

He wanted to remember Sam, relaxed after a hunt everyone survived. Remember him smiling for no real reason. Remember the way he had called Castiel a friend out loud for the first time. And he wanted to never need to rely only on memories to see Sam.

Cas looked out into the blackness of the night sky with the youngest Winchester, a parody of the nights Dean and his brother would gaze at a sky full of stars. They angel wondered what the symbolism was there.

Quickly, he decided he didn't much care and focused all his attention back on the task at hand.

Making this one, cosmically insignificant moment last.


End file.
